Improvement in spring-perches for bird-cages



E. 6. FORD.

SPRING PERICH FOR BIRD-CAGES.

No.,17 3,935. Patented Feb. 22, 1876.

".FET'ERS, PNDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D CH NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD 0. FORD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE ADAMS MORGAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT INySPRlNG-PERCl-IES FOR BIRD-CAGES,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,935, dated February 22, 1876; application filed January 20, 1876.

To all to whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD 0. FORD, of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented an Improvement in Spring-Perches for Bird-Gages; and that the following is a full and exact description of the same: 1

Heretofore springperches have been provided with coiled-wire spring at one end, said spring being secured to a metallic plate, and supported by the attachment of said plate to the wires of the cage. This structure is comparatively costly. It cannot be readily attached and detached. Its motion, except in a vertical direction, is limited, and the spring hasa peculiar stiffness, which imparts to its motion. a character different from the free motion of a twig or bough.

The object of my invention is to obviate all of these objections to the ordinary s prin g-perch and it consists, first, in a connecting-bar upon which the spring is seated, said bar being provided with a flat flexible tang of metal, which may be wrapped around two adjacent bars of the cage, and thus securely attached and easily detached; second, in said cylindrical bar with its tang formed from a single blank' of sheet metal; third, in a blank for said connectingbar, formed so as to constitute a cylinder with an oblique end, and the said tang projecting from one side thereof, so that when said ohlique end is rested against one of the bars of the cage it will project therefrom with an upward inclination, and the tang will project with a correspondingly downward inclination, and will therefore Wrap around the adjoining bars in a downward direction, and afford a very rigid connection; fourth, in attaching the perch to the connecting-bar by means of an elastic tube, capable of yielding in any direction, and thereby affording a close imitation of the natural motion of a bough or twig.

That others may more fully understand my improvement, I will particularly describe it, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevation of a bird-cage having my perch attached. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the perch and its connection. Fig. 3 represents the form of blank from which I prefer to fashion the connecting-bar. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, showing the flexed position of the perch.

A is an ordinary bird-cage, and B is the perch attached at one end only by an elastic connection to two bars,'a a, of the cage. cis the connecting-bar, and d is the tang attached thereto and wrapped around the bars a a, to attach said bars to the cage. I think it preferable that theperch B should stand inclining upward when not supporting the weight of the bird, as that position will conform more nearly to the conditions of nature than any other position, and to effect this purpose I make the bar with an oblique shoulder, as shown in Figs. .1 and 2, at c, said shoulder resting against the bar a. The tang d projects from one side of said bar, andas it is wrapped around two bars, a a, it securely holds the bar 0 in place. The oblique shoulder 6 causes the tang d to incline downward and pass around the second bar a at a point below its attachment to the first, of said bars, and therefore the attachment is strengthened 'by the leverage due to this difference in level of points of attachment to the separate bars a a. It is evident the bar 0 might be solid, of cylindrical or other shape, and that the tang d might be attached in any convenient way, but I prefer, as a matter of economy to form said bar from a blank, G, which includes the tang d. The inclined portion g, when the plate is rolled to cylindrical form, constitutes an oblique end or' shoulder, as at e, as before de scribed. By this means the bar 0 is quickly and cheaply made, and the tang d is included andin the best possible form. The perch B is attached to the bar (I by means of an elastic tube, F, which fits tightly over the abutting ends of both bar and perch, as shown, so that when the perch yields it moves upon one edge in contact with the corresponding edge of the bar 0 as a fulcrum, and the tube F is elongated on the opposite side. The tube F may be a close coil of spring-wire, but I prefer a tube of elastic india-rubber, as being more gentle and elastic in its movements and reactions.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is '1. In combination with theperch B and a 4:. In combination with the bar 0, to be atspring, F, the bar 0 provided With a tang, d, tached to the cage, and the perch B, the tubprojecting from one side for ready attachment ular spring F, as set forth. to the bars a a, as set forth.

2. The bar 0 constructed with an oblique EDWARD 0. FORD. shoulder, e, and the tang d, as described and for the purpose set forth. Witnesses:

3. The bar 0 constructed with the tang d GHAs. G. GILL, from a single blank G, of sheet metal, as set R. J. J AOKSON.

forth. 

